Return of the Junior Reds?

[CyderInACan]

2 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

I know as much as you at the moment. There isn’t a formal “Junior Reds” that I can see, but the name definitely appears to be creeping back in with the U12 season ticket holders seemingly automatically enrolled. The signs are that they’re building to a relaunch, hopefully on a wider basis than non STH

Possibly something to ask Jerry, the SLO, if there’s anything that can be arranged?

Also interesting that the blurb refers to us as “the Reds” 

[Rocking Red Cyril]

14 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

I know as much as you at the moment. There isn’t a formal “Junior Reds” that I can see, but the name definitely appears to be creeping back in with the U12 season ticket holders seemingly automatically enrolled. The signs are that they’re building to a relaunch, hopefully on a wider basis than non STH

Possibly something to ask Jerry, the SLO, if there’s anything that can be arranged?

Yes me and grandkids unlikely to be STH but who knows and they make 12 before next season starts.

[!james]

 

 

 

[Steve Watts]

So a Junior supporters club for non season ticket holding junior reds.....Excluding the 3000 u-19's that have already purchased season tickets.....  The club don't do themselves any favours when it comes to thinking these things through properly.  It's just a standard membership that's been rebranded, isn't it?

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, Steve Watts said:

So a Junior supporters club for non season ticket holding junior reds.....Excluding the 3000 u-19's that have already purchased season tickets.....  The club don't do themselves any favours when it comes to thinking these things through properly.  It's just a standard membership that's been rebranded, isn't it?

Is that a bad thing?

[View from the Dolman]

Not sure I'm seeing the issue - all of the benefits of the membership will be included or enhanced upon as part of the season ticket.

Membership card = season ticket card
Ticket priority = you're sorted for home tickets and will get priority for away tickets
£5 off home tickets = you've already got your home tickets
Discount on City women tickets = Discount on City women tickets
Enrolment on loyalty scheme = Enrolment on loyalty scheme
5% off on food and drink = 10% off on food and drink
Member price on Bears and Flyers = Member price on Bears and Flyers
Two free tickets for U19/U12 members = you've already got your home tickets covered
Exclusive member events = strongly suspect these will include ST holders as previous events for younger fans have done.

[Steve Watts]

4 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Is that a bad thing?

In my opinion it feels like a massive missed opportunity and just very lazy.  Engagement with the young fans is so important and this just seems a clumsy way of paying lip service to that.

We could have launched a proper Junior Reds as discussed earlier in the thread, with an area of the upper Lansdown concourse dedicated to it in the way that we used to have the building opposite the Williams stand back in the day.  Run membership specific events on a match day etc.  Maybe I'm feeling negative because of my general mood today (which is what 2 hours on the phone to Virgin Media does to you!!!).

[Steve Watts]

3 minutes ago, View from the Dolman said:

Not sure I'm seeing the issue - all of the benefits of the membership will be included or enhanced upon as part of the season ticket.

Membership card = season ticket card
Ticket priority = you're sorted for home tickets and will get priority for away tickets
£5 off home tickets = you've already got your home tickets
Discount on City women tickets = Discount on City women tickets
Enrolment on loyalty scheme = Enrolment on loyalty scheme
5% off on food and drink = 10% off on food and drink
Member price on Bears and Flyers = Member price on Bears and Flyers
Two free tickets for U19/U12 members = you've already got your home tickets covered
Exclusive member events = strongly suspect these will include ST holders as previous events for younger fans have done.

It's just that to me, the Junior Reds should be a supporters club for junior supporters.  Not just a rebranded membership scheme that we've had for years.  As indicated earlier in the thread the absence of a proper supporters club for the kids in a similar vein to the one John and Clare etc ran is bewildering and this does nothing to change that.

[Mad Cyril]

On 16/06/2022 at 22:19, Rocking Red Cyril said:

Yes all part of moving the whole club in the right direction 

New junior Reds, new kits, new players, new coaching staff.... lovely to see such a positive vibe about the club and on this forum.

Just a shame the season has to start soon and ruin it all.

[Silvio Dante]

Having (somewhat) of a vested interest here, what I’d say is this:

- Delighted to see it back, but it is just a mirror of the adult membership and at the same price. I don’t think the free tickets offset it necessarily

- I’d have personally pitched it at a lower price. For a non STH family, say two kids, it’s £75 membership. A tenner for junior members feels more in the right place for me

- There are easy things that I’d like to see added to the junior membership that won’t increase cost to the club massively - like…

- Birthday card signed by favourite player. Easy to do and manage, means a lot to kids

- All under 12s entered into a mascot draw, and one place per home game goes to a JR. Hell, you could throw in the kit for free if they win the draw

- I’m sure this will happen but could be more explicit - Juniors Christmas and EOS parties, attended by players

- Free or reduced coach travel on away games, with option (where available) for dedicated family coach 

There are really easy things to do. This is a great start, but could be better.

 

[3 Peaps In A PodCast]

 

[elhombrecito]

What it really needs is a membership pack. I loved a membership pack when I was young.

[!james]

4 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Having (somewhat) of a vested interest here, what I’d say is this:

- Delighted to see it back, but it is just a mirror of the adult membership and at the same price. I don’t think the free tickets offset it necessarily

- I’d have personally pitched it at a lower price. For a non STH family, say two kids, it’s £75 membership. A tenner for junior members feels more in the right place for me

- There are easy things that I’d like to see added to the junior membership that won’t increase cost to the club massively - like…

- Birthday card signed by favourite player. Easy to do and manage, means a lot to kids

- All under 12s entered into a mascot draw, and one place per home game goes to a JR. Hell, you could throw in the kit for free if they win the draw

- I’m sure this will happen but could be more explicit - Juniors Christmas and EOS parties, attended by players

- Free or reduced coach travel on away games, with option (where available) for dedicated family coach 

There are really easy things to do. This is a great start, but could be better.

 

Yeah got to agree with most of that. Other things like a stationary pack or something would be great too. Was looking at it for my daughter but isn't enough there to justify the price unfortunately. 

[TBW]

There's nothing in the Junior Reds membership that is actually there to excite the kids themselves. There's no fun extras or competitions, meet and greets, birthday card, goody bags, social club... it's all just a membership for the parents wallet. Why would the kid care?

[Davefevs]

Thanks for responses…I understand where you are coming from. Ta.

[daored]

20 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Having (somewhat) of a vested interest here, what I’d say is this:

- Delighted to see it back, but it is just a mirror of the adult membership and at the same price. I don’t think the free tickets offset it necessarily

- I’d have personally pitched it at a lower price. For a non STH family, say two kids, it’s £75 membership. A tenner for junior members feels more in the right place for me

- There are easy things that I’d like to see added to the junior membership that won’t increase cost to the club massively - like…

- Birthday card signed by favourite player. Easy to do and manage, means a lot to kids

- All under 12s entered into a mascot draw, and one place per home game goes to a JR. Hell, you could throw in the kit for free if they win the draw

- I’m sure this will happen but could be more explicit - Juniors Christmas and EOS parties, attended by players

- Free or reduced coach travel on away games, with option (where available) for dedicated family coach 

There are really easy things to do. This is a great start, but could be better.

 

Agree with your comments, as someone who doesn’t live in Bristol there isn’t much to entice me to get membership for my two sons. It’s good to see the return of junior reds

[TMWANG50]

They could do loads more just trying to think of some of the old schemes.

- Membership pack - key ring/stationary/member card/signed photo of fav player

- Junior red day - free match entry or a quid for a kid and a tour of the ground pre match

- Birthday card - signed by fav player

- Zoom Q&A  with a few players/Nige throughout the season (would cater for fans who live further afield and was popular in lockdowns)

- Junior reds party

- Reduced coach travel

- A dedicated junior reds U23 game - free entry/tour of HPC

- Junior reds Charity day - get the kids out raising money for a worthy cause or collecting for charity on match day and get free match entry

I think the trouble is these days the club just wouldn't put any staffing resource at it or let anyone do it voluntarily but I could be wrong?

[ChippenhamRed]

Me and my 11 year old are both members every year , so he’ll be signing up for Junior Reds this year.

Personally I think the cost is fair. £25 means he can get £5 tickets all season AND two free ones (including one for me), so it easily pays for itself.

My only criticism is - as someone else said above - there is no sort of goody bag or anything that directly benefits the child or gives them any sense of belonging to the club - perhaps a magazine, or a scarf or something. It’s effectively little more than a financial incentive for parents.

[phantom]

I guess £5 off a kids ticket makes the POTD kids price even more of a bargain 

[3 Peaps In A PodCast]

 

[Silvio Dante]

7 hours ago, 3 Peaps In A PodCast said:

 

Shameless bump.

Good show guys, thanks

[daored]

10 hours ago, 3 Peaps In A PodCast said:

 

 

2 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

Shameless bump.

Good show guys, thanks

Really good podcast - can we get the club to call it the John Banks Junior Reds - it would be a fitting tribute to a man who made the junior reds 

[Silvio Dante]

5 minutes ago, daored said:

 

Really good podcast - can we get the club to call it the John Banks Junior Reds - it would be a fitting tribute to a man who made the junior reds 

As I said on page one, for obvious reasons I’d love that. However, I think what would be better if there was a room/area at the club dedicated to the juniors it was named after him, and also recognised the other people involved in some way.

Mum (Claire) had to be cajoled a bit into doing the podcast but I think it did her a lot of good. All the messages and tweets are fantastic for her - if I could teach her to use the internet it’d be handy as I’d save boatloads in paper…

[daored]

2 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

As I said on page one, for obvious reasons I’d love that. However, I think what would be better if there was a room/area at the club dedicated to the juniors it was named after him, and also recognised the other people involved in some way.

Mum (Claire) had to be cajoled a bit into doing the podcast but I think it did her a lot of good. All the messages and tweets are fantastic for her - if I could teach her to use the internet it’d be handy as I’d save boatloads in paper…

Personally think it’s important to recognise those who’ve played a part in our club, and no doubt the junior reds had an impact on many reading this forum today and becoming supporters of BCFC. 

[Rebounder]

Not listened to it yet, but nice to see Kate Masters name pop up.  

I'm really glad that the Junior Reds are back. Football gave me a huge connection to my Dad and going to the gate and seeing those familiar faces made it feel like family. 

 

[3 Peaps In A PodCast]

On 02/07/2022 at 22:28, Silvio Dante said:

As I said on page one, for obvious reasons I’d love that. However, I think what would be better if there was a room/area at the club dedicated to the juniors it was named after him, and also recognised the other people involved in some way.

Mum (Claire) had to be cajoled a bit into doing the podcast but I think it did her a lot of good. All the messages and tweets are fantastic for her - if I could teach her to use the internet it’d be handy as I’d save boatloads in paper…

Claire was fantastic on the pod… so glad you enjoyed it!

[E.G.Red]

On 29/06/2022 at 10:42, Steve Watts said:

In my opinion it feels like a massive missed opportunity and just very lazy.  Engagement with the young fans is so important and this just seems a clumsy way of paying lip service to that.

We could have launched a proper Junior Reds as discussed earlier in the thread, with an area of the upper Lansdown concourse dedicated to it in the way that we used to have the building opposite the Williams stand back in the day.  Run membership specific events on a match day etc.  Maybe I'm feeling negative because of my general mood today (which is what 2 hours on the phone to Virgin Media does to you!!!).

Great the Junior Reds are back but have to say that unfortunately Ipswich seem to have got it just right. Same price but includes a goody bag and monthly competitions all the things Kids love at very little additional outlay for the club and may even encourage more to join. https://www.itfc.co.uk/supporters/junior-blues/junior-blues-memberships/.

Edited July 6, 2022 by E.G.Red

[Redandproud]

Just read on City website, Junior Reds restarting up again, BUT,a £25 membership+booking fee, can't believe Their  charging, going back yrs ago it was under the Dolman Stand, free to join, what's the matter with Bristol City must they always make money from the fans,evens the U12s, Thoughts,

[3 Peaps In A PodCast]

 

[wayne allisons tongues]

Why do we have to pay a booking fee on any tickets we buy. If it’s do to with a person having to do the work, why no booking fees on anything we buy from the shop.

Didn't we change the computer system a few years ago and were told booking fees were temporary till the software was paid for. 
 

It just seems a big ripoff not just from our club but everyone regards booking fees.